Safelight window

[smieglitz]

I'm constructing a portable darkroom tent to take on location for wetplate collodion processing. I'd like to have a large removable window or two at the top of the tent so that I can see what I'm doing inside. I'm also building a smaller portable darkbox for the same purpose and wish to have a safelight window that I can observe through. I think regular safelight filters would be too opaque and would obscure/diffuse the view. So, I'm looking for suggestions on another type of material that might work with an ortho emulsion like wetpalte collodion.

I'm thinking perhaps rubylith or amberlith material fixed to thin acrylic sheets might work but I'm not sure how transparent this would be. Would amberlith be okay or do I need to go red? Any other suggestions?

Maybe Rosco lighting gels?

A few months ago I bought a gray welding curtain to put around a NuArc UV plateburner in order to prevent incidental exposure and for safety reasons in a community darkroom. I know these things also come in yellow and red transparent varieties and I'm wondering if they would be safe for collodion processes. Anybody know? (I've never actually done collodion yet so I couldn't test the welding curtain personally right now. But , I have enrolled in a workshop later this summer. I'd like to have the equipment and supplies all together before then.)

Thanks for any suggestions.

Joe

 

[JG Motamedi]

Hi Joe,

Either Amberlith or Rubylith work fine with older orthochromatic materials like collodion and daguerreotypes. I prefer Amber, since it is easier to see.

jason